Sampson gamgee



sAMPsON GAMGEE, OF BIRMINGHAM, COUNTY OF WARWICK, ASSIGNOR TO WILLIAM BRADBURY ROBINSON, OF WHEAT BRIDGE MILLs, NEW

BRAMPTON, ENGLAND.

MANUFACTURE OF FABRICS FOR SURGICAL AND MEDICAL DRESSING.

LZPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 282,624, dated August '7, 1883.

Appieation filed June 30, 1883.

' To all whom it 77mg concern %c it known that I, SAMPSON GAMGEE, a subject of the Queen of Great Britain, residing at 22 Broad Street, Birmingham, in the county of XVarwick, England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in the Manufacture of Fabrics for Surgical and Medical Dressings, and the Manufacture of Surgical Splints and Supports and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and

exact description of the invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same. 7

This invention has for its object improve I 5 ments in the manufacture of fabrics for surgical and medical dressings, and in the manufacture of surgical splints and supports.

I produce a fabric for surgical and medical dressings from thoroughlybleached cotton. I

inclose a sheet of this fiber between two muslin fabrics. These fabrics are of an open nature, thoroughly bleached, and freed from dress ing, and the fiber is compressed between them. The compound fabric may conveniently be made of different thicknessessay thin, me-

dium, an d thickand Varyin g from four ounces in weight to ten ounces in weight to the square yard. This absorbent cotton-wool tissue is calculated to prove of very great service in medical and surgical practice. The perfect smoothness and elasticity specially fit it for application to inflamed parts, while its perfectly even surface specially adapts it to be a medium for equable pressure. It never becomes knotty 5 or lumpy, like ordinary cotton-wool, and its powerful absorbing and antiseptic properties skin and wound secretions.

Another part of the invention relates to splints and surgical supports.

I have ascertained that the absorbent wooltissue above described becomes immediately impregnated with a liquid mixture of plaster- .of-paris on being dipped into it. I apply this prevent the retention and decomposition of fact to the manufacture of splints and supports as follows: I surround a form to which the splint or support is to be molded, or it may be an actual hand or limb, with a layer of absorbent wool tissue, and outside this I mold another layer of the same tissue, previously (No spicirnens.)

soaked in plaster-ofparis cream. This cream is made by sprinkling in water perfectly fresh and powdered plaster-of-paris. I stir with a metal spoon, and continue sprinkling the powder until the liquid acquires the consistence 5 5 of rich cream or thin batter. The tissue, on being pressedinto the liquid, very quickly becomes completely saturated. It requires to be lightly squeezed to expel redundant cream, and is then fit to be smoothly applied over the layer of dry tissue with which the part has previously been covered. Bandaging with a white, soft, absorbent roller, the plaster coveringis molded accurately and without constriction. It rapidly dries and hardens; but this process may be hastened by unrolling the bandage, carefully removing the mold, and holding it for a few minutes before the fire. It can then be reapplied, and it will be found that while the outer shell is hard the inner lining retains all the softness and elasticity of the original tissue. The splints may be cut to any shape, adapted to any surfaces, and I almost instantly solidified. Given a case of fracture of the-pelvis, spine, or ribs, a layer of the dry absorbent tissue having been rolled round the patient, one or two more layers bandaged outside it, after having been previously soaked in plaster cream, result in the W construction of a solid shell, with which frag- 8o ments are held motionless and harmless. By cutting strips of the tissue and soaking them in plaster-cream, any j oint may be immobilized by a plaster-and-bandage brace, or latticework. If desired, gum-arabic, starch, or deX- trine may be added to the plaster-cream.

Skill in making the molds maybe readily acquired by anyone cutting pieces of the tissue, soaking them in plaster-cream, and molding them with the hands up on a form. However unequal the surface,a perfect'mold can be taken.

It quickly solidifies, and can be readily taken off. One effect resulting from impregnation of the gauze and cotton fiber with plaster is that the resulting mold is not brittle, but on 5 the contrary so tough that it is almost impossible to break or tear it. Since the molds and splints can be made and removed in sections,

the usual difficulty in opening and removing a plaster-of-paris case is entirely obviated.

An excellent result is obtained when a mixture of dextrine and plaster-of-paris is employedsay in the proportion of three parts of dextrine to eight parts of plaster and twelve parts of water. The mixture is made as already described, except that the solution of dextrine is employed in the place of water. The tissue, having been dipped in the compound and applied in the manner explained above, rapidly sets, and so very light, strong, and flexible splints and supports may be produced. These splints and supports can be afterward softened, if desired, by immersing them in hot water. They can then be bent to an other form, which they will retain 011 cooling. Gum-arabic or starch can be used in place of dextrine, but lcssadvantageously, and other like materials may be employed as a substitute for plasterof-paris. v

My compound fabric or tissue may also very advantageously be used in combination with parafline in the manufacture of splints and supports. The fabric or tissue is dipped in in .lted paraffine, removed and slightly pressed to remove excess, and applied to the form or part. Cold water may be poured over to hasten the hardening. The splints and supports may also be made from parafline-saturated fabric previously prepared, and again softened by heat when required for use. Strips of thin dealveneer, in parallel lines or intersecting lattice-work fashion between two layers of paraffiued absorbent tissue, make an exceedingly strong spliutage. This material may be cut to any size with an ordinary pair of scissors, molded to any shape after exposure to slight heat, and rapidly solidified on being sponged with cold water. Incorporated, as

the paraffine is, with the cotton and gauze, the resulting tissue is not in the least brittle; nor, indeed, are the molds made with the plasterof-paris cream.

The paraffine and plaster splintage may be perforated to facilitate drainage, and that made with paraffine has the further advantage of being especially well adapted for the application of pressure. Besides its well-known intrinsic antiseptic properties, paraflinereadily takes up borax and other anti-putrescent agents.

Having thus described the nature of my said invention and the manner of performing the same, I would have it understood that I claim 1. My improved compound fabric, consisting of thoroughly-bleached absorbent cotton compressed between two thoroughly bleached muslin fabrics free from stiffening, substantially as described.

2. The means for producing my compound fabric by accumulating the fleeces from a se ries -01 carding-engines and passing and compressing the same between fabrics drawn continuously from rollers, substantially as described. I v

3. The manufacture of surgical splints and supports from my compound fabric saturated with plaster-of-paris or other qnaterial, and molded on a form upon which it sets and hardens, substantially as described.

4. My compound fabric saturated with glucose, gum-arabic, or starch, (mixed preferably with plaster-of-paris) and the manufacture of surgical splints or supports "therefrom, substantially as described.

5. My compound fabric saturated with par afiine, and the manufacture of surgical splints or supports therefrom, substantially as described.

SAMPSON GAMGEE.

\Vitnesses J. EDWD. NEWMAN,

H. DIOKIN,

lVotarg/s Clerks, Birmingham. 

